Homemade Baby Food (Cheap & Easy!)

October 26, 2017

By Madelyn

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Homemade Baby Food (Cheap & Easy!)

At one point in the not-so-distant past I had this teeny little chubster who loved loved loved food. He would pound baby food out of the containers with zero regard to how much those containers/jars/pouches cost me. The nerve. So began my desperate, new-mom search for how to make my own baby food. I was clueless. I didn't know where to begin. How much? Which foods? How do I store it? What can he have and what can he not have? Clue. Less. So this post contains a few "recipes" (I use this term loosely here) and how-to's to get you started yourself. You'll see just how easy it really is, and you'll quickly realize that you can essentially apply these same principles to any other veggie baby food you want to make.

That said, y'all know that I think Instant Pot is life. I know I have written about it before (er, um, in basically every post that has to do with food...) but I have to say it again: Instant Pot is where it's at. Because I use this thing practically every day, I decided to also use it to whip up some homemade baby food with Baby #2. Confession: I don't make my baby's food because I want to be an all-natural, organic Super Mom (though I think y'all are great in your own right), I do it because it's cheap. And easy. And I'm cheap. And easy. (Just don't tell my husband. You'll blow my cover.) Quick word of advice: you do not need any kind of fancy baby food-making systems to do this. Heck, you don't really even need an Instant Pot to do it (although I strongly advise it, because Instant.Pot.is.life. people). Just do yourself a favor and simplify your life by using things you probably already have at home like a microwave, ice cube trays, and a blender.

Speaking of a blender, this post also requires a shout out to my KitchenAid blender. This bad boy has helped me out for many years, still works like a dream, and is a cute color, to boot.

Starter Recipes:

Below are a few of my favorite vegetable baby food how-to's using two of my favorite kitchen gadgets. (Yes, it's so easy you will wonder why you are even reading this post. And yes, I was once in your shoes, desperately searching for baby food-making how-to's. Been there, mama! Hope this helps!)

Carrots

Bag of baby carrots

Water

Instant Pot

Blender

Pour the baby carrots into your IP and then pour in 1/2 c water. Set to manual, high for 7 minutes. Quick release the pressure once it is finished. Dump carrots (careful, it's hot!) with accumulated water and juices into blender.Purée, adding water as needed until desired consistency is reached. Pour into ice cube trays. Cover and freeze.

Sweet Potatoes

1-2 large sweet potatoes

Water

Instant Pot

Blender

Wash sweet potatoes and place both in IP, whole. Pour in 1/2 c water. Set to manual, high for 12 minutes. Quick release pressure. Potatoes should be fork tender to the point you can easily stab all the way through them with your fork. Use tongs to carefully remove the sweet potatoes (again, HOT) and place on a plate. Gently cut lengthwise and peel the skin off. Mine usually slide right off and the good stuff plops out, easy peasy. Cut into large chunks and dump into blender. Add 1/4 c water. Blend, adding water until desired consistency is reached. Pour into ice cube trays. Cover and freeze.

Peas

Bag of frozen steamable peas

Blender

Water

Microwave the peas for the indicated amount of time on the steam bag. Pour into the blender. Add about 1/2 c water. Purée. Add water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Pour into an ice cube tray, cover and freeze.

Green Beans

Bag of frozen steamable green beans

Blender

Water

Microwave the green beans for the indicated amount of time on the steam bag. Pour into the blender. Add about 1/2 c water. Purée. Add water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Pour into an ice cube tray, cover and freeze.

Butternut Squash

Whole butternut squash

Water

Instant Pot

Blender

Cut ends off squash and then cut lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and "guts" and discard. Insert your IP steam rack and place both halves of squash in IP. Pour 1 c water in and cook on manual, high pressure for 12 minutes. Let slow release for about 5 minutes, and then quick release remaining pressure. Carefully remove halves of squash (I use tongs like the sweet potatoes) and set on plate. Peel skin off squash and discard (this was a bit trickier than I planned, and I advise letting them cool and then just going at it with your fingers because that was easiest for me - ha!). Cut squash into large chunks and throw into blender. Add 1/2 c water. Blend, adding water as necessary until desired consistency is reached. Pour into ice cube trays, cover and freeze.